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2008-2009-2010
THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Health Practitioner Regulation
(Consequential Amendments) Bill 2010
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Health and Ageing,
the Hon Nicola Roxon MP)
HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION
(CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS) BILL 2010
OUTLINE
The Health Practitioner Regulation (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2010
(the Bill) provides for consequential amendments to recognise and support
the implementation of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme
for the Health Professions (NRAS). The Bill also proposes to streamline
the extensive processes involved in the recognition of doctors for Medicare
purposes under the Health Insurance Act 1973 (HIA) ensuring reduction of
red tape.
The Council of Australian Governments (COAGs) agreed on 14 July 2006 to
establish a national registration scheme for health professionals and a
national accreditation scheme for health education and training. COAG
subsequently agreed to establish a single national scheme, with a single
national agency encompassing both the registration and accreditation
functions. On 26 March 2008, COAG signed an Intergovernmental Agreement to
implement the NRAS by 1 July 2010.
The new arrangement will help health practitioners move around the country
more easily, reduce red tape, provide greater safeguards for the public and
promote a more flexible, responsive and sustainable health workforce.
The legislative framework for the NRAS is an applied laws model:
a. Queensland is the lead state. The first tranche of legislation, the
Health Practitioner Regulation (Administrative Arrangements) National
Law Act 2008 (Qld), received Royal Assent on 25 November 2008. This Act
established the structure and functions of the NRAS, including the new
national agency, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
(AHPRA);
b. The second tranche of legislation, the Health Practitioner Regulation
National Law Act 2009 (Qld), known as 'the National Law' received Royal
Assent on 3 November 2009. The National Law details the substantive
provisions for registration and accreditation and replaces the first
tranche of legislation.
c. The third tranche of legislation involves the States and Territories
passing legislation to apply the National Law and to include
jurisdiction specific consequential and transitional provisions.
The Commonwealth does not need to apply the National Law, however the
purpose of this Bill is to make consequential and transitional amendments
to Commonwealth legislation required to recognise and support the NRAS.
The HIA provides various pathways for recognising specialists, consultant
physicians and general practitioners (GPs) for Medicare purposes. The
current HIA pathways to specialist, consultant physician and GP recognition
necessitate communication exchange between Medicare Australia and relevant
organisations (such as medical colleges) to ascertain eligibility.
The requirement to enact consequential amendments to Commonwealth health
legislation provides an opportunity to streamline current specialist
recognition processes under Commonwealth legislation, including removing
the current Vocational Register for GPs.
Financial Statement
The financial impact of this Bill for the Department of Health and Ageing
is small. There may be some administrative savings within Medicare
Australia from a reduction in resources to process specialist recognition.
However, any possible savings will be offset through improvements in
information technology systems.
COAG allocated $19.8 million over four years for implementation of the
NRAS. Jurisdictions agreed to split this budget in accordance with the
Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council cost share formula.
Jurisdiction |C'wealth |NSW |Vic |Qld |WA |SA |Tas |ACT |NT | |Amount ($m)
|9.90 |3.31 |2.45 |1.91 |0.98 |0.75 |0.24 |0.16 |0.10 | |
HEALTH PRACTITIONER REGULATION
(CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS) BILL 2010
NOTES ON CLAUSES
Clause 1 - Short Title
This clause provides that the Bill, once enacted, may be cited as the
Health Practitioner Regulation (Consequential Amendments) Act 2010.
Clause 2 - Commencement
This clause provides that sections 1 to 3 will commence on the day the Bill
receives Royal Assent. Schedule 1 will commence on a single day to be fixed
by Proclamation. It is necessary for Schedule 1 to commence by
proclamation as the amendments proposed by the Bill are dependant on all
State and Territory Parliaments passing their respective application laws
to establish the NRAS as a national scheme and it is not certain at this
stage when that will be, though it is planned that NRAS will be fully
operational by 1 July 2010. A date fixed by proclamation will provide
certainty as to when Schedule 1 is to commence rather than relying on a
provision which refers to when all the States and Territories' application
laws have commenced.
Clause 3 - Schedule(s)
Clause 3 specifies that each Act that is specified in a Schedule to the
Bill is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the
Schedule concerned. Schedule 1, Part 1 amends the Crimes Act 1914 and the
Health Insurance Act 1973. Schedule 1, Part 2 provides transitional
arrangements.
SCHEDULE 1 - PART 1 AMENDMENTS
Crimes Act 1914
Item 1 amends the definition of nurse in subsection 3(1), by removing the
word 'registered' from the definition as a consequence of repealing the
definition of 'registered nurse' and insertion of definition of 'nurse' in
the HIA (item 5 and 8 refers).
Health Insurance Act 1973
Items 2 to 10 amend subsection 3(1) to ensure definitions of health
practitioners in the HIA are consistent with the NRAS. Current definitions
relating to health practitioners in Commonwealth legislation refer to
registration 'under a State or Territory law', which will technically
remain the case with the introduction of the NRAS. However, some
provisions in need of consequential amendment were identified, to clearly
define nurses and medical practitioners and modernise definitions as
described in the National Law.
Item 2
The term 'consultant physician' is a term used for the purposes of the HIA.
The definition of 'consultant physician' in section 3(1) of the HIA is
currently:
'consultant physician, in relation to a particular speciality, means a
medical practitioner in relation to whom there is in force a
determination under section 3DB or 3E that the medical practitioner is
recognised for the purposes of this Act as a consultant physician in
that speciality.'
Consultant physicians are specialists who generally work in 'internal
medicine' areas and largely do consultations rather than procedural work.
Item 2 repeals the definition of 'consultant physician' in subsection 3(1)
and substitutes a new definition. Under the new definition there is no
longer a need for determinations, rather a 'consultant physician' is a) a
medical practitioner who is registered under a law of a State or Territory
in a speciality (i.e a person is on the specialists register under the
NRAS), where that speciality is prescribed for the purposes of the
definition and they have met any other requirements set out in the
regulations or b) a class of medical practitioner prescribed in the
regulations for the purposes of paragraph b of the definition. The second
limb of the definition is intended to capture, for example, those medical
practitioners who may not be on the specialist register under the NRAS but
who are nevertheless providing services related to a speciality in
accordance with their registration under the NRAS for which medicare
benefits should be payable for under the HIA so as not to disadvantage
patients.
Item 3
This item repeals the current definition of 'general practitioner' in sub-
section 3(1) and substitutes a new definition. As a consequence of this
amendment sections 3EA and 3F of the HIA are repealed (item 11 refers). The
new definition of a 'general practitioner' is a medical practitioner who is
registered under a law of a State or Territory to practise in the
speciality of general practice or a medical practitioner of a kind
specified in the regulations. The second limb of the definition is intended
to capture, for example, those medical practitioners who may not be on the
specialist register under the NRAS in the speciality of general practice
but who are nevertheless providing services related to general practice in
accordance with their registration under the NRAS for which medicare
benefits should be payable for under the HIA so as not to disadvantage
patients.
Item 4
Item 4 repeals and substitutes a new definition for 'medical practitioner'
in sub-section 3(1). A 'medical practitioner' will be someone registered
under a State or Territory law as a medical practitioner. This definition
is intended to capture all persons under NRAS who are registered to
practise in the medical profession, apart from students, including persons
on the public Register of Medical Practitioners and the public Specialists
Register for the medical profession under NRAS. The new definition does not
replicate paragraphs (a) and (b) of the current definition of 'medical
practitioner', as if a person's registration is cancelled or revoked in one
jurisdiction, then under the NRAS, registration is revoked in all
participating jurisdictions so the person will no longer be a medical
practitioner in any jurisdiction and thereby will not be a 'medical
practitioner' under the HIA. Further, under the NRAS, where a practitioner
is 'suspended' they are considered not to be registered as a practitioner
for the period of suspension.
Item 5
Item 5 inserts a new definition of 'nurse' in subsection 3(1) as a
consequence of repealing the definition of 'registered nurse' (item 8
refers). The current definition of 'registered nurse' in sub-section 3(1)
has been replaced with a definition of 'nurse'. There will be no
significance under the NRAS arising from the term 'general nurse' (as in
section 3(1)(a)) or 'nurses registered in South Australia' (as in section
3(1)(b)). Rather, the definition is amended to define nurses as 'registered
nurse (Division 1)' and 'enrolled nurse (Division 2)'.
Item 6 is a consequential amendment required following the revised
definition of 'nurse' in Item 5, omitting 'registered' from the definition
of nursing care.
Item 7 repeals the definition of 'professional attention' in subsection
3(1) as it is no longer relevant and is therefore redundant. The concept of
'professional attention' is not used in any legislation, regulations or
other delegated legislation. This term was relevant for the definition of
'hospital treatment' that appeared in the HIA, that term is now defined in
the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 which does not refer to 'professional
attention'.
Item 8 repeals the current definition of registered nurse under section
3(1) in the HIA. Item 5 provides for the revised definition.
Item 9
The current definition of 'specialist' in sub-section 3(1) is repealed and
substituted with a) a medical practitioner who is registered under a law of
a State or Territory
in a speciality (i.e a person is on the specialists register under the
NRAS), where that speciality is prescribed for the purposes of this
definition and they have met any other requirements set out in the
regulations or b) a class of medical practitioner prescribed in the
regulations for the purposes of paragraph b of the definition. The second
limb of the definition is intended to capture, for example, those medical
practitioners who may not be on the specialist register under the NRAS but
who are nevertheless providing services related to a speciality in
accordance with their registration under the NRAS for which medicare
benefits should be payable for under the HIA so as not to disadvantage
patients.
The HIA currently distinguishes between 'general practitioners' and other
'specialists'... Although the specialist register under the NRAS will
include the speciality of 'general practice', it is intended that the
regulations under the HIA will not prescribe 'general practice' for the
purposes of this definition. The distinction between 'general
practitioners' and 'specialists' needs to be maintained under the HIA,
because there are differing Medicare items for general practitioners as
opposed to other specialists.
Item 10 repeals the definition of 'vocationally registered general
practitioner' as there will no longer be a Vocational Register of General
Practitioners as consequence of the new definition of 'general
practitioner' (Items 3 and 11 refer).
Item 11 repeals sections:
. 3D 'Recognition as specialists of members of certain organisations on
advice from the organisation'
. 3DA: 'Period of section 3D recognition'
. 3DB: 'Alternative method of recognition as a specialist or consultant
physician'
. 3DC: 'Period of effect of determination'
. 3E: 'Recognition as consultant physicians etc. of certain medical
practitioners'
. 3EA: 'Recognised Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General
Practitioners'
. 3EB: 'Revocation of determination'
. 3F: 'Vocationally registered general practitioners'
. 3G: 'Removal from Register'
Currently, there are a number of pathways for specialist and consultant
physician recognition under the HIA:
. Section 3D- Recognition as specialists of members of certain
organisations on advice from the organisation. A medical practitioner
is taken to be recognised as a specialist under this section if a
relevant organisation (prescribed by Regulation 4 and Schedule 4 of
the Health Insurance Regulations 1975), generally a College, notifies
Medicare Australia that the medical practitioner meets the criteria
for specialist recognition. The criteria is set out in sub-section
3D(2) and includes (a) Australian domicile; (b) fellowship of a
relevant organisation in relation to the speciality; and (c) a
relevant qualification. Section 3D is a pathway for specialists only
(not consultant physicians).
. Section 3DB - Alternative method of recognition as a specialist or
consultant physician. A medical practitioner may apply to the
Minister for a determination that the medical practitioner is a
specialist or consultant physician if the following criteria are met
(a) Australian domicile; and (b) registration as a specialist in a
particular speciality. Sub-section 3DB(2) states that a medical
practitioner can also apply for a determination if the medical
practitioner meets the criteria set out in sub-section 3D(2) (see
paragraph above). Section 3DB is a pathway for both specialists and
consultant physicians.
. Section 3E - Recognition as consultant physicians etc. of certain
medical practitioners. The Minister may make a determination that a
medical practitioner who is not domiciled in Australia should be
recognised for the purposes of the HIA for a specified period as a
specialist or a consultant physician. Section 3E is a pathway for both
specialists and consultant physicians. The purpose of this section is
primarily to increase the supply of health practitioners to 'areas of
need', that is, areas of Australia where there is a shortage of
specialists and consultant physicians in comparison to the population.
Under the NRAS, the Medical Board of Australia (MBA), the new National
Board responsible for registering medical practitioners, in conjunction
with the AHPRA, will maintain a 'specialists register' which will record
all medical practitioners who are registered as a specialist under the
National Law. As a consequence of the new definition of 'specialist' and
'consultant physician' provided in this Bill, which relies on the NRAS
registers, the Minister will no longer be required to make determinations
in relation to a medical practitioner, thereby simplifying processes for
specialist recognition for Medicare purposes. For example, this will reduce
the need for Medicare Australia to liaise with a number of bodies, instead
Medicare Australia will liaise with the MBA to establish whether a person
is a 'specialist' or 'consultant physician' under the HIA. Sections 3D,
3DA, 3DB, 3DC and 3E are therefore redundant and repealed.
The HIA currently contains three pathways to recognition as a general
practitioner. They are set out in the definition of 'general practitioner'
in subsection 3(1) and are as follows:
(a) a medical practitioner in respect of whom a determination under
section 3EA is in force; or
(b) a person registered under section 3F as a vocationally
registered general practitioner; or
(c) a medical practitioner of a kind specified in the regulations.
The MBA is currently considering how it will recognise these vocationally
registered general practitioners under the NRAS, for example, whether they
can transition on to the specialists register under the NRAS in the
speciality of 'general practice'. If the MBA determines that these
practitioners will transition onto the specialists register, they will be
covered under item 3(a). If not, these practitioners will be covered under
a regulation under item 3(b).
There is a small group of medical practitioners who are currently engaged
in application or review processes relating to the Vocational Register of
General Practitioners. A transitional provision at item 27 enables the
making of regulations to ensure that appropriate medical practitioners who
are on the Vocational Register for General Practitioners under the HIA
prior to the commencement of the Schedule to the Bill will continue to be
considered a 'general practitioner' under the HIA for a specified period of
time even though they may not meet the new definition under item 3.
As a consequence of the new arrangements, sections 3EA, 3EB, 3F and 3G are
redundant and are repealed.
Item 12 makes a consequential amendment to subsection 3GC(6A) as a result
of repealing section 3D of the HIA, it also renumbers the provision to be
3GC(7) and inserts a new subsection 3GC(8).
The purpose of the definition in subsection 3GC(6A) is to provide clarity
to the meaning of 'medical college' so the functions of the Medical
Training Review Panel (MTRP) in relation to the compilation of information
relating to medical colleges is clear (paragraph 3GC(2)(d) refers).
Subsection 3GC(6A) currently defines 'medical college' for the purposes of
section 3GC as an organisation declared by the regulations to be a
professional organisation in relation to a speciality for the purposes of
section 3D. As section 3D has been repealed (item 11 refers), the
regulations made under section 3D will no longer have effect, therefore a
new definition of medical college is required.
This amendment defines a medical college, for the purposes of section 3GC,
to mean an organisation accredited by the Australian Medical Council as a
specialist medical college, specified by the Minister by notice in writing
to the MTRP. These will be medical colleges providing training in
specialties accredited by the Australian Medical Council. The notice is
non-legislative in character and this is reflected in the proposed
subsection 3GC(8) which, for clarity, provides that a notice under proposed
3GC(7) is not a legislative instrument.
Item 13 repeals section 3H - 'References in RACGP may be varied' and is a
consequential amendment required because of the repeal and substitution of
the definition of 'general practitioner' and the repeal of sections 3EA,
3EB, 3F,amd 3G (Item 11 refers).
Items 14, 15 and 16
These items omit and substitute wording in particular sub-sections of
section 19C - 'Medicare benefits not payable where medical practitioners
not authorised to render service' Section 19C provides that Medicare
benefits are not payable for services that are not authorised under a
practitioner's registration or are not done in accordance with
circumstances set in a practitioner's registration. The amendments below do
not make substantive changes to section 19C but rather modernises the
language used.
. Item 14 replaces the definition of 'practitioner's licence' in
subsection 19C(2) and with a definition for 'registration' for the
purposes of section 19C. This amendment updates the terminology in
section 19C to be inline with the NRAS. Under the NRAS there is no
licence to practise as a medical practitioner rather a person is
registered as a medical practitioner (as set out currently in paragraph
(b) of the definition of 'practitioner's license' in subsection 19C(2)).
. Item 15 repeals paragraphs 19C(3)(a) and (b) and provides substituted
wording as a consequence amendments in item 14.
. Item 16 repeals paragraphs 19C(4)(a) and (b) and provides substituted
wording as a consequence of amendments in item 14.
Items 17 to 21
These items amend section 19CB - 'Offence in relation to a medical
practitioner rendering an unauthorised service'. Section 19CB is an
offence provision which places an obligation on medical practitioners, to
whom a direction applies under section 19CB, a requirement to give a
patient notice that medicare benefits will not be payable in respect of
services rendered by them unless the minister otherwise directs, failure to
give such a notice is an offence. The amendments below do not make
substantive changes to section 19CB but rather modernises the language
used.
. Item 17 inserts a definition of 'registration' for the purposes of
section 19CB.
. Item 18 modernises the terminology in sub-section 19CB(1)(a) and (b) by
omitting and substituting 'practitioner's licence' to 'registration'.
. Item 19 omits in that State and Territory from 19CB(1) as the NRAS
replaces the current separate state and territory registration processes
with a national consistent scheme.
. Item 20 modernises the terminology in sub-section 19CB(1)(d) by omitting
and substituting 'practitioner's licence' with 'registration'.
. Item 21 modernises the terminology in sub-section 19CB(3) by omitting
and substituting 'practitioner's licence' with 'registration'.
Item 22 amends section 19DA(1) - 'Offence in relation to deregistered
practitioner', which is consequential to the amended definition of medical
practitioner at Item 4.
Items 23 and 24
These amend section 106XB - 'Referring to appropriate regulatory body and
non-compliance by a practitioner with professional standards'. Section
106XB requires the Director of Professional Services Review (PSR) to
forward any material detailing concerns about a practitioner failing to
comply with professional standards that he or she receives from a PSR
Committee or Determining Authority to the 'appropriate body' referred to in
sub-section 106XB(3). Currently, the appropriate body for general
practitioners is the body specified in the regulations made for paragraph
3F(6)(b) (which will be repealed by this Bill) and otherwise a body
specified in the regulations Upon introduction of the NRAS, the
appropriate body will be the MBA for medical practitioners. The amendment
retains the power for regulations to prescribe other appropriate bodies for
the purposes of section 106XB.
Item 25 repeals sub-sections 130(5C) and (5D) regarding 'Officers to
observe secrecy'. These provisions are redundant as sections 3F and 3G are
repealed by this Bill.
SCHEDULE 1 - PART 2 TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
Item 26
This provision provides definitions for 'commencement time', 'new law' and
'old law' for the purposes of the transitional provisions.
Item 27
Item 27 enables the making of regulations to ensure that appropriate
medical practitioners who are on the Vocational Register for General
Practitioners under the HIA prior to the commencement of the Schedule to
the Bill will continue to be considered a 'general practitioner' under the
HIA for a specified period of time even though they may not meet the new
definition under Item 3. The transitional provision also covers
practitioners who have outstanding applications or appeals to the General
Practice Recognition Eligibility Committee or to the General Practice
Recognition Appeal Committee. This item is intended to offer flexibility to
deal with people who may be affected by the introduction of the NRAS and
the amendments made to the HIA.
Item 28
Item 28 is a savings provision which provides that a direction made under
subsection 19C(3) or 19C(4) prior to the commencement of the Schedule to
this Bill continues to remain in force after the amendments to those
subsections come into force under this Bill.
Item 29
Item 29 is a savings provision which provides that a direction made under
subsection 19CB(1) prior to the commencement of the Schedule to this Bill
continues to remain in force after the amendments to that subsections comes
into force under this Bill.